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Water Rights on the Colorado River in a Drought-Prone World
The Colorado River is the beating heart of the West, pumping life into the region’s cities, farms, and deserts. Its water is used for reasons as diverse as growing alfalfa that is shipped to Saudi Arabia to providing hydroelectric power to over 40 million people in the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. The Colorado River is the principal source of water for seven states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, Nevada, and California); it also provides water for Mexico. Water rights on the Colorado River are governed by a complicated network of laws, court decisions, contracts, and regulations known as the Law of the River. The Colorado River Compact The…
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MWEG Arizona Values the Voice of the People
The MWEG Arizona chapter is working to defend and support the rights of citizens to participate in government. One of MWEG’s principles of ethical government states: “Political structures and electoral systems should be designed to maximize participation of and provide equitable access to all citizens in a society.” Christie Black, one of MWEG Arizona’s chapter leaders, wrote about this issue and some of the ballot propositions Arizona voters will have the opportunity to vote on in the upcoming election: Democracy thrives when all people have the opportunity to use their voices, both through principled voting and participation in the civic process. Civic engagement is sacred and must not be diminished.…
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Official Statement from the Arizona Chapter of Mormon Women for Ethical Government on the ACC Energy Rules Vote
We believe the land and the air around us are a gift, and we are responsible for their care. Individual efforts to “safeguard the earth and her resources for our children and generations that follow” are important but insufficient on their own. Reasonable, well-written policies can help to ensure sustainability. Last Wednesday, January 26, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), by a vote of 3-2, rejected the Energy Rules package that would have required the state’s regulated electric utilities to reduce their carbon emissions to combat climate change. The Energy Rules were drafted over a period of several years and drew upon judgment from industry experts, public utility companies, and Arizona…
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Arizona Call to Action: Ask Sen. Sinema to Continue to Champion Voting Rights by Ensuring That Procedural Changes Allow Voting Legislation
The Senate majority leader has indicated that there will be a cloture vote on the Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA) and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA) this month. If these votes to open discussion on the bills are overcome by the filibuster, he has promised there will be talks about procedural changes in the Senate, including a conversation on adjusting the filibuster to allow important issues of the day to be debated. The filibuster can be used to protect the voice of the minority and to force meaningful dialogue on issues presented to the Senate. However, it also has a less noble history as a tool to…
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Mormon Women for Ethical Government Statement on Arizona Cyber Ninjas Election Review
Free and fair elections are the bedrock of our democracy. Last November, notwithstanding a global pandemic, millions of Arizonans exercised their right to vote, and these votes were counted and certified using tested and true processes. As had always been the case, counties certified their respective results, and the entire election was then certified by Secretary of State Hobbs and witnessed and signed off by Governor Ducey, Attorney General Brnovich, and then-Chief Justice Brutinel in accordance with state law. The governor asserted his faith in Arizona’s elections system and encouraged those with concerns about either election processes or results to follow the state’s robust procedures for election review. None of…
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An Open Letter to Arizona State Legislators from the Arizona Chapter of Mormon Women for Ethical Government
Dear Senators/Representatives: We urge you to vote NO on HB 2248, HB 2737, SB 1175, and SB 1459. Our democratically elected commissioners on the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), who are experts in Arizona energy, have spent years developing Energy Rules for our public utilities. These rules, which will require energy production from public utilities to be 100% carbon-free by 2050, proceed from public comments, compromises with interest groups, meetings with industry experts, and buy-in from utility companies. With these rules, Arizona will join other western states, including California, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico, in transitioning to clean energy. They also position Arizona for long-term economic expansion via high-wage jobs, investment…
